1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to photovoltaic (“PV”) modules. More particularly, some example embodiments relate to PV modules made from thin-film PV materials.
2. Related Technology
There are two main types of solar collectors, including silicon and thin films, commonly used in PV modules, the solar collectors commonly composed of PV cells. Silicon is currently the predominant technology, and can generally be implemented as monocrystalline or polycrystalline cells encapsulated behind a transparent glass front plate. Thin-film technology is not as wide-spread as the silicon technology due to its reduced efficiency, but it is gaining in popularity due to its lower cost.
Thin-film materials include amorphous, tandem or other silicon based thin-film materials, as well as copper indium gallium selenide (“CIGS”), copper indium gallium sulfur-selenide (“CIGSS”), and other materials. Thin-film materials can be produced in manufacturing quantities on glass substrates, metal substrates, or plastic films. Yields and efficiencies vary by technology, manufacturer, and substrate choice.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced